


Matcha Latte, Double Sweet

by captainkaltar



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, And there will definitely be a handful of subplots going on, Bisexual Hunk (Voltron), Bisexual Lance (Voltron), College, Eventual Relationships, Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Fluff, Hunk (Voltron)-centric, Lesbian Allura, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rating May Change, Strangers to Lovers, Tea, Tea Shop, This might be something of a slow burn, although the main plot is pure Hance fluffiness
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-18
Updated: 2018-08-24
Packaged: 2018-09-25 05:59:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9806324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captainkaltar/pseuds/captainkaltar
Summary: When Hunk first got a job at Altea Tea Company, he’d figured it would be a pretty nice, calming place to work.Oh boy, was he ever wrong.But then a certain blue-eyed boy with a complicated drink order walks into the shop, and his life is never the same again.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've noticed that coffee shop/cafe AUs are always really calming and fluffy and cute. And as someone who worked in a tea shop for two years, I can attest that it's nothing like what the fanfics promise. It's chaos. Beautiful, occasionally frustrating, occasionally brilliant chaos. 
> 
> So here you go, a realistic tea shop AU, because everyone else writes about coffee. And me being me, it has to be Voltron. And it has to be Hance. Because the world can always use more Hance.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For those of you who maybe don't know much about tea, I'll be posting short descriptions of the teas that show up in each chapter summary. There will be at least one new tea mentioned every chapter, maybe more sometimes. So here you go: 
> 
> -Assam: a category of black tea grown in eastern India. Assam teas are known for being very dark and very strong. 
> 
> -Matcha: green tea that's ground into a powder and whisked into hot water to make a thick, bright green drink. It's packed with caffeine and with nutrients, and tastes delicious with milk and sweetener!

When Hunk first got a job at Altea Tea Company, he’d figured it would be a pretty nice, calming place to work. Close to home, small and independent, not to mention totally adorable. It was a cozy place to study or to socialize, with its wood-panelled interior and wall of tea tins rising to the ceiling like something out of a story book. A perfect place to earn the money and experience he needed to put himself through the last few years of culinary school. 

 

Oh boy, was he ever wrong.

 

Sure, the tea was delicious and it really was top-notch, but even his extra-large mug of the strongest, darkest Assam blend in store couldn’t do its usual job of keeping him calm and focused this morning. His co-workers were all good people, but it was hard to see them in a positive light when they were all under pressure like this, with a lineup of customers backed up right to the doors, and only fifteen minutes past opening time. They’d barely had time to get the tea bar stocked and set up for the day when people had started peering in the windows, even pounding on the door. Mornings were generally a busy time, but Hunk had never seen an opening crowd quite as heavy or as impatient as this. 

 

“No, I just said that we don’t serve coffee here!” He could hear the strain in Keith’s voice, it was only a matter of time before he snapped. “We’re called the Altea _Tea_ Company, for crying out loud!” 

 

“Where am I supposed to get my morning frappe then?” The customer, a middle-aged woman with thick-rimmed glasses and thin lips, leaned menacingly over the cash register. “Quintessence is closed for the day, and the only other decent coffee shops are blocks and blocks away! I’ve got to get to work on time!” 

 

“Quintessence is _closed_?” Allura’s eyes widened as she bustled past, arms laden with stacks of paper cups. 

 

“Yeah, don’t know why though.” The woman posed with her hands on her hips. “I didn’t have time to read the sign, I’m in a rush, okay?” 

 

“I figured that out already. So do you want some tea?” Keith twirled his pen impatiently. 

 

“I just want coffee!” 

 

“Listen, if we had any coffee, I’d sell it to you.” Looking over from his post at the tea bar, Hunk was pretty convinced that Keith’s eye was twitching. “We have over 300 types of tea, but _we don’t have any coffee_!” 

 

“Fine then!” The woman tossed her ponytail, nose in the air. “Guess I’m never coming back here! Thanks for nothing!” She flounced off, pushing her way through the crowd with her jaw clenched. 

 

“Jeez.” Hunk took a deep breath. He’d seen Keith in a state like this before and didn’t want him to start a full-on fight with a customer, not now. “Dude, come and make drinks, I’ll take orders for a bit.” 

 

“Thanks.” Keith’s voice was barely audible as they switched places. 

“That was totally uncalled for, you don’t deserve to get snapped at like that. Are you okay?” 

 

“I’m fine. Just keep taking orders, make the line go away.” 

 

“I’ll try my best.” He straightened the hem of his t-shirt, bracing himself for action. “Hi there, can I take your order?” He pulled a pen and a drink sleeve out of his pocket.

 

“I’ll get a matcha latte please.” The new customer was a young man, tall and slender and practically ready to snap in half under the weight of his swollen backpack. Definitely another college student by the looks of him; there were always a lot of them at the tea shop, what with their location on the edge of campus. “Double sweet, extra large, premium-grade matcha, and can you make that with coconut milk please?” 

 

“Hang on, let me write that down.” Hunk fumbled with his pen cap. “Double sweet, large-“

 

“Extra large, please.” 

 

“Okay, extra large, premium matcha, you said?” 

 

“Yep.” 

 

“And what kind of milk was that?” 

 

“Coconut, you have coconut milk, right?” He raised an eyebrow. 

 

“Yeah, we do.” Hunk couldn’t help but notice how blue his eyes were, in striking contrast against his tanned skin and dark brown hair. “C-can I get a name for that, please?” 

 

“It’s Lance. And you’re making it double sweet, right?” 

 

“Yep, already wrote that down. That everything for you?” 

 

“Hang on, is your latte half milk and half matcha here?”

 

“Matcha lattes usually are.” The line was growing restless, and people were still swarming into the little shop. Hunk found himself tapping his foot nervously. 

 

“Can you make it more like three-quarters milk? I like it extra creamy, it’s disgusting when people make lattes with too much water.” 

 

Hunk clenched his jaw, scrawling “3/4 milk” in hasty handwriting on the drink sleeve. “Okay, we’ve got an extra large matcha latte, double sweet, coconut milk, premium matcha- which, by the way, costs a dollar extra-, and with more milk than water, is that everything?” 

 

“Yeah, that’s right. Wow…” A dreamy look floated over his eyes, fixed on something behind the cash register. Hunk decided not to comment on it; after all, the tea wall was right behind him, and he’d gotten used to people marvelling at it after working here for almost four months. It was an impressive sight, all those elegant blue and gold tins ascending to the ceiling, nestled on their smooth wooden shelves. 

 

“You ever been here before?” Hunk flashed a little smile, deciding to be patient with this Lance boy, even though he was starting to hold up the line. 

 

“Not really…” He kept staring, a faraway edge in his voice. 

 

“Admiring the tea wall? It is awfully pretty, isn’t it?” He punched the total into the register and passed his drink sleeve to the bar. Keith snapped it up, groaning as he read the details of the order. Matcha lattes were one of the more time-consuming drinks on their menu, and that particular matcha latte was pretty damn finicky. 

 

“Mmhmm…” Lance shook his head as if trying to clear it. “Right. Yeah. The tea wall. It’s a nice wall, totally.” His cheeks flushed as he pulled some change out of his pocket. 

 

“That’s 5 dollars, 85 cents after tax, please.” Hunk decided not to ask him what was wrong, he had to keep the line moving. 

 

“I’ve got eight bucks here, keep the change.” He dropped the money on the counter and turned tail away from the cash register, over to the pickup counter where Keith was slamming down cup after cup of hot tea, calling out orders and names in a voice that was the epitome of detached boredom. 

 

“Mind if I get in here?” Allura tapped his shoulder. “You’re going to need extra rolls of quarters today, I’ll top you up.” 

 

“Go ahead.” Hunk got out of her way. “Are you almost done restocking? Keith could probably use an extra hand making drinks.” 

 

“Yeah, I just finished doing all the tea tins right behind you.” _Right behind you_. So she was what that guy, that Lance had been staring at. Dammit, why couldn’t people leave her alone and let her work in peace? 

 

“Keep going with the orders, I’ll handle the bar.” Allura rolled up her sleeves, sharp and ready as ever. He tried to take less time with the next handful of customers, feeling a bit guilty for spending more time getting the matcha order just right. There was something about that Lance kid that made Hunk want to ensure that he had a perfect drink to start his day, an urge to make him happy that he couldn’t put his finger on. 

 

He lost track of where that tall figure ended up in the bustle and rush of the morning lineup, order forms flying and pen running low on ink and boiling tea spilling on Allura’s hand, making her curse like a punk rocker under her breath (to the rest of the staff’s surprise) and disappear to the back room where there was a first-aid kit and a sink with cold water. But looking out the window in between customers, he swore he saw a lanky, backpack-laden person dashing down the sidewalk, clutching an extra-large drink.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this chapter turned out longer than I originally planned. I guess it evens out the long wait ^.^ 
> 
> Thanks for reading! Once again, I'm including tea notes in each chapter summary:
> 
> -Hibiscus: a herbal tea made from (guess what) dried hibiscus flowers. It brews bright pink, and makes a really nice iced tea. It's quite sour on its own, but it's often mixed with flavouring and dried fruit to make herbal fruit-flavoured teas. 
> 
> -Chai: An Indian drink made from black tea, milk, spices and sweetener. The kind of chai latte you get at Starbucks or wherever is usually made with chai-flavoured syrup (so it doesn't have any actual spices in it), but the chai that Keith makes for Shiro in this chapter is made with fresh spices, mixed ahead of time with milk, sugar and maybe a little butter to make it extra creamy. That mix is then blended into hot tea. 
> 
> There are a ton of different ways to make chai, since I work in a tea shop I'm just copying the way I have to make it at work, since I'm most familiar with that ^.^

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for waiting for an update, sorry it took so long! And now, time to introduce some new characters! I've gotten really invested in this AU, to the point where I've thought of places for even some really minor Voltron characters to fit in, but hey, better have the rest of the Paladins show up first, right?

Hunk swore up and down that the tea shop’s clock existed in a different dimension. Time flew when there were a lot of customers around, but dragged when traffic was slower. Warped past when the weather was nice, slowed to a non-existent crawl when it was too hot or too rainy. 

 

It was also five minutes fast, which never failed to irk him. He’d tried to fix it before (he took pride in having a pretty good head for machines), but no matter what it was always slightly off. His co-workers were all perfectly aware that it was fast, but that didn’t stop some of them from trying to take advantage of the damn thing. 

 

“Keith, get back here!” He looked up from re-stocking the drawers of little tea tins hidden under the bar at the sound of Pidge’s indignant voice. Keith had his jacket on, an umbrella in one hand and a portable drink mug in the other, dark tired circles around his eyes. 

 

“Yeah dude, you’ve still got like, five minutes of shift left!” Hunk stood up, hands on his hips. “We all know that the shop’s clock is fast, don’t try and trick us.” 

 

“There’s no one here.” Keith grumbled, flicking his bangs out of his eyes. “And I got here early this morning.” 

 

“Just take five minutes to help me with these tins, please?” Hunk decided not to mention the fact that Keith had taken a good ten minutes to make himself a tea before starting work, early arrival or not. 

 

“Fine, five minutes.” They started their task in silence, Keith picking up each little tin of tea and checking whether it needed topping up, and Hunk taking the empty tins across to the tea wall to refill them. It was far too impractical to unload a big tin from the wall every time someone wanted to buy a drink, so they had to keep drawer after drawer of smaller tins within easy reach under the tea bar. 

 

Hunk was topping up some tins of pungent fruit-flavoured hibiscus tea, when he heard Keith spring up and dash to the cash register. “Shiro! You’re here!”

 

“Good to see you, sweetness.” Hunk groaned internally as he heard the sound of their lips pressing together. Keith probably wasn’t supposed to lean over the cash register to kiss his boyfriend, but no one had the heart to tell him not to, especially when there weren’t any other customers in the shop. 

 

“Can I make you some tea? You must be cold, it’s such a gross day out there.” 

 

“Sure, how about one of those chais like you made me last time?” Shiro smiled gently, his expression all tender and doe-eyed as he reached for his wallet. 

 

“Stop that, it’s free!” Keith swatted Shiro’s hand away from his pocket. 

 

“Are you sure? You guys work so hard.” 

 

“Make it up to me later or something. It’s disgusting outside, shut up and take the free drink.” 

 

“Fine sweetheart, if you insist.” Shiro leaned across the register to peck Keith’s cheek. Hunk locked eyes with Pidge from their posts at opposite ends of the tea bar, grinning as she rolled her eyes and pointed a finger gun to the side of her head. He repeated the gesture, pulling an imaginary trigger with his thumb and making her flash that crooked grin of hers. 

 

“You want your tea extra large, Shiro?” Hunk jumped in surprise as Keith shifted position, flashing Pidge a glare that he hoped was a good ‘act natural’ signal. As he returned to his tea tin job, he could hear her suppressing a giggle from her post at the far end of the bar where she was sweeping the floor. 

 

“If it’s not too much trouble.” Shiro folded his arms on the counter, watching Keith prepare his drink, smiling softly at him as he set a cup of black tea to brew and prepped the other ingredients to blend into the tea once it was strong enough. Hunk couldn’t help but keep an eye on them as he bustled a little aimlessly around the bar, trying to find some kind of task to kill the time until the end of his shift. It was fascinating, in a way: all Shiro had to do was make an entrance and Keith instantly cast off the scowl he normally wore to work, donning a wide-eyed expression that seemed to Hunk like the textbook definition of _tender_. He didn’t know Shiro very well, only really knew that he was a biology major, took his chai extra-steeped with a hint of fresh ginger, and often came to pick up Keith at the ends of his shifts, sometimes with snacks or little presents in tow. 

 

As Keith went through the motions of making a chai, all the while chatting happily with Shiro, Hunk couldn’t help but wonder (not for the first time) how it must feel to have a life like theirs. Sure, he’d been on dates in high school, even had a girlfriend for a few months in tenth grade, but Keith and Shiro had been together for years and were still obviously in love, still going strong. Hunk had never been in a relationship that serious, and the few times he’d had such strong feelings for a person hadn’t panned out well in the end. And none of the dates he’d landed recently had felt quite right. He didn’t want to think of how long he’d been single, when the last time he’d- 

 

“Pidge, you work here? No way!” Hunk hazarded a quick glance over his shoulder, looking for who the voice belonged to. Oh shit, it was the lanky guy from the morning, the one with the ridiculous matcha order, oh no. His hair was damp, and his khaki jacket was spattered with water, but his eyes were just as blue and his little half-smile just as dreamy as they’d been earlier in the day. Hunk felt his face catching fire, turning to the tea wall and pretending to check the tins for inventory or something, trying to look busy. He couldn’t make eye contact, not yet. Dammit, why was he so flustered? He’d met pretty guys at work before! 

 

“Oh hey.” Pidge maneuvered her way from the end of the bar where she’s been cleaning over to the register, giving Keith and Shiro a wide berth. “Er, how’s it goin’, Lance?” 

 

“It’s freezing cold out! Lucky you, getting to work in here with all the hot drinks.” Hunk took a few deep breaths, pulling himself together and going back to the tea tin job that he still hadn’t finished. He was so close, he couldn’t let a little thing like being unreasonably shy around this Lance guy stop him from working.  

 

“It fogs up my glasses.” Pidge flicked her bangs out of her face, unfazed. “Hey, what happened with you in physics today?”

 

“Oh that? I missed my alarm, and it took forever to get to class; traffic was crazy in the rain. Do we have any homework to do? I kinda fell asleep halfway through lecture, that hall is sooooo stuffy!” 

 

“We haven’t got any new assignments, the prof just reminded us to keep working on our papers. I finished mine, I don’t have to deal with that class until next week. So, you want a tea?” 

 

“Sure!” Lance fished around for something in his pocket. “I got this drink earlier, I saved the order form so I could remember what it was. Here.” He handed a crumpled, tea-stained piece of cardboard over to Pidge, who took it somewhat reluctantly. 

 

“It’s water-stained, I can’t read it.” She squinted, handing it back to Lance with her arm held out stiffly. “Who took your order, do you remember? Are they still on shift?”

 

“Yeah, it was you, over there.” Lance pointed over at Hunk, who managed a wave and a grin that he hoped wasn’t too wide and awkward, putting down his tray of tea tins. 

 

“Hey, you want another matcha latte?” 

 

“You guessed it!” Lance grinned, sending a little shiver down Hunk’s spine. “I’m guessing you don’t remember all the fixings though.” 

 

“Uh, it was double sweet, extra large, coconut milk…” Hunk twirled his pen thoughtfully. 

 

“That’s pretty impressive.” 

 

“That’s all I remember. Fill me in on the rest?”

 

“Premium matcha, more milk than water, and can I get it with a double scoop of matcha this time?” 

 

“Are you sure?” Hunk grimaced. “Matcha’s pretty bitter and grainy if you overdo it.” 

 

“I know, I know. It’s just that I need the extra caffeine, I’m pulling an all-nighter. This monster physics paper’s due in three days and I haven’t started.” Lance ran a hand through his hair, and Hunk couldn’t help but notice the bags under his eyes. 

 

“Oh, you’ll be fine!” Hunk had never made it through an all-nighter before, firmly swearing against them. He was the type of guy who needed his sleep no matter what. However, his manager Coran always said that it was their job to make customers feel relaxed and happy, and he was determined to get in this Lance guy’s good books. “You know what, I could make it iced for you if you like. It would cost a little more, but the ice will wake you up.”

 

“Nah, it’s okay.” Lance fished in his pocket, presumably looking for cash. “It’s so cold and gross outside, I need a hot drink.” 

 

“There’s one coming right up. Six dollars, eighty-five cents, please.” 

 

“Phew, okay!” Lance took a deep breath. “Here you go.” He handed Hunk a twenty-dollar bill, then chucked most of the change in the tip jar when Hunk gave it back to him. 

 

“You know I could set you up with a frequent customer card?” Hunk slipped Lance’s drink order onto a cup and lined the bottom with hot water. “Buy ten teas, get one free.” 

 

“That. Sounds. Awesome!” Lance flashed that so-pretty-it-wasn’t-fair grin again, and Hunk was relieved beyond measure that he had to turn away from the register to find a blank points card to give to Lance. 

 

“Just a sec, I have to sign it and give you your stamps.” He scanned around the bar for their stamp, but couldn’t find one, so signed the card with two sets of his initials instead; Lance had showed up for a drink that morning and he tipped well, it was only fair that Hunk put two stamps on the card. 

 

“So your name starts with an H?” Lance peered at his new point card as Hunk steamed the milk for his latte. 

 

“Yeah, it’s Hunk.” 

 

“The name’s Lance.” He leaned against the counter. “But then, I guess you probably figured that out, since I was talking to Pidge. We’ve got a class together, physics.” 

 

“That’s cool! Are you a physics major, then? Or a computer science major like Pidge?” Hunk whisked the matcha powder into a paste, slowly pouring in a thin stream of water until it turned into a thick, bright green liquid. 

 

“Nah, I’m in general sciences. I haven’t decided what I want to specialize in yet.” A cloud passed over Lance’s face. “Hey, Hunk’s kind of an unusual name; don’t think I’ve heard it before!” 

 

“Yeah, it’s kind of unique, I guess.” Hunk hoped that Lance couldn’t tell his face was flushed. Curse the tea shop and its perfect lighting! 

 

“It suits you.” Lance winked. 

 

 _Oh shit, oh holy shit_. Was Lance trying to flirt with him? He hastily finished pouring steamed milk into the cup of matcha, handing it to Lance with a smile that was probably awkward enough to make his yearbook photos look sophisticated and smooth. 

 

“Thanks a million, this’ll keep me alive tonight! Catch you later Hunk, later Pidge!” And just like that, he was gone, out into the downpour, yet another busy college student. Hunk had to stand still for a moment, taking in his surroundings; the blue and gold tea wall, the wooden tables and chairs, Keith and Shiro _still_ trading sips of tea and sweet nothings and kisses from over the counter. How long had those lovebirds been at it, anyway? He stared up at the shop’s clock, but whatever time it was trying to tell definitely wasn’t the right one. Oh well. He sighed, returning to the tea wall to find enough tasks to carry him through to the end of his shift, a cloud of confusion and loneliness surrounding him like a cloud of rain. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tea notes! 
> 
> -Lapsang Souchong: a strong black tea with an intensely smoky flavour. I'm personally not very fond of it, I find the smokiness overwhelming, but it seemed like a fitting choice for the character who drinks it in this chapter. 
> 
> -Cream Earl Grey: another black tea, this one's blended with vanilla and bergamot (the citrus fruit that flavours Earl Grey). It's a little bit sweet and very creamy, it's almost like drinking silk. I find that it tastes best when you drink it hot, with a little splash of milk. I guess my tea biases are showing in this chapter! 
> 
> -Tea Lattes: a similar principle to a matcha latte, but where a matcha latte's made with green tea powder that's whisked into water and topped with hot milk, other types of tea latte are made with a teabag steeped in half a cup of water, then the other half of the cup's filled with hot milk. 
> 
> -Ceylon: this name is used for any kind of tea that comes from Sri Lanka. Ceylons are usually plain, unflavoured black teas, and they taste very light. They're known for being malty, smooth, and a bit flowery and sweet.

“Holy motherfucker, is our lineup going out the door _again_?” Pidge’s eyes widened from behind her glasses as she tied on her apron, getting ready to start her shift. “I hate Sundays!” 

 

“Yeah, been like this since opening.” Hunk sighed, summoning up enough energy to deal with the next customer. He squared his jaw, automatically changing to his designated retail voice as he addressed the tall, hoodie-clad man at the register. “Hi there, can I take your order?” 

 

“Yeah, I need a tea.” The man’s voice was a low rumble, and his eyes never seemed to stay in one place for long. 

 

“What kind of tea?” Hunk tried not to think too hard about the line of people behind him, crowding up the small shop, turning it from a cozy safe haven into a loud and overstimulating hellhole, a place where you didn’t want to stay for too long. “We’ve got over 300 teas on our menu, you want me to help you narrow your choices down?” He was used to people being overwhelmed by their selection, but Coran always said that they carried something for everyone, so it was worth it. 

 

“Yeah, that would be helpful. But I’m in kind of a hurry, can you recommend anything?” The man’s eyes darted up to the tea wall, taking it in with an expression that Hunk couldn’t read. 

 

“Can you have caffeine at this time of day, or not? And what’s your opinion on flavours, got any favourites?” As he waited for a response, it occurred to him that he couldn’t place what colour the man’s eyes were; some kind of golden-yellow-brown that glinted from beneath his hood. 

 

“I need something strong. And yeah, give me the caffeine. Got anything with a smoky flavour?” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a well-worn leather wallet. 

 

“Oh, absolutely! You might like our Lapsang Souchong; it’s a black tea dried over a wood fire, it’s really smoky. You wanna smell it?” Hunk was about to reach for the drawer of little tea tins when the customer slammed a large portable drink mug on the counter, making him jump in surprise. 

 

“Sounds great, I’ll take it. Got my own mug, how much do I owe you?” The man shifted from foot to foot impatiently, making the hairs stand up on the back of Hunk’s neck. What was it about hurried customers that never failed to stress him out? 

 

“Well, your own mug gives you a discount, so that’s-“ He paused, punching the order into the cash register. “That’s a dollar fifty, please. You want room for milk in your tea?” 

 

“No thanks.” A couple coins clinked onto the counter, and the man had vanished when Hunk looked up from collecting them. He hadn’t left a tip. Hunk sighed as he scrawled “Lapsang, No Milk” onto a post-it note and stuck it onto the portable mug, a black, nondescript affair. 

 

“What was /his/ problem?” Allura raised an eyebrow as she picked up the cup, rinsing it out with hot water before prepping a teabag, filling it with black, intensely fragrant Lapsang leaves. “And who even likes this tea, it smells like cigarette smoke!” 

 

“Who knows.” Hunk sighed, straightening his apron. “Some people swear by that stuff, I’ve never understood why myself.” He uncapped his pen and readied another drink sleeve to write an order on, giving a friendly wave to the next customers, two young women standing hand in hand. 

 

“Hi there.” The taller of the two set her purse down on the counter. “Can I get a regular-sized cream earl grey, please?” 

 

“Sure, no problem!” Hunk wrote down her order, happy that she’d chosen a quick, simple drink. “Any room for milk in that?” 

 

“Yeah, if it’s not too much trouble, and just dairy milk is fine.” She reached into her bag, presumably looking for her wallet. “Oh, and my girlfriend here was wondering if you serve coffee.” 

 

“I’m afraid not.” Hunk resisted the urge to groan, sick and tired of that question. “But there’s a coffee shop, like, a block away from us, have you been to Quintessence?” 

 

“Actually, Quintessence is closed today.” Pidge whipped around from her post behind Hunk, where she’d been steaming milk for a large order of tea lattes. “I walked past it on my way to work, there’s a sign that says they’re renovating.” 

 

“Dammit, that sucks!” The woman handed Hunk her credit card. “Anywhere else nearby?” 

 

“Well, there’s this new coffee place down the street, like five-six blocks from here.” Pidge turned around, setting a metal jug of steamed milk on the counter, where Allura snapped it up to finish the lattes. “They just opened, but their coffee’s really good.” 

 

“It’s alright, we’re not that picky.” The women tossed some change in the tip jar, and Hunk handed her her receipt. “Thanks for your help.” 

 

“Have a good day!” Hunk passed her order to the bar, turning to Pidge. “I didn’t know you were a coffee drinker.” 

 

“I’m a computer science major balancing work and full-time school, of course I’m a coffee drinker.” She adjusted her glasses, opening the drawer of tea tins and scanning over it. “Where the fuck did the cream earl grey go?” 

 

“Pidge, language!” Coran waltzed past, grabbing a tin from the tea wall. “What did I tell you about keeping things civilized in front of customers?”

 

“You’re the one who swears like a sailor.” Pidge snarked under her breath, making Hunk jump a little in surprise. Damn, that girl had guts! Luckily for her, Coran had moved on, chatting enthusiastically with a group of customers who wanted to buy loose tea. 

 

“Guys, there’s someone at the till.” Allura shot a glance in the register’s direction, but didn’t budge from her post where she was finishing orders. 

 

Hunk turned to go help them, only to find himself stopping in his tracks. He was back! No way, he was back! His hair was sticking up funny, and the circles under his eyes seemed to have gotten darker. It was a shame really, his eyes were so pretty… _Oh, pull it together, play it cool!_

 

“Hey, how are you?” Hunk flashed what he hoped was a carefree, easygoing grin. 

 

“Dead inside…” Lance slumped on the counter, his lanky frame looking ready to collapse. 

 

“Studying?”

 

“Yep, this physics paper’s gonna kill me. I’ve written three pages, but it’s supposed to be seven, and I haven’t even gone over and edited the damn thing!” 

 

“Yikes, that’s rough. You need some matcha?” _Poor guy_. Hunk hated seeing anyone in a bad state like that, but there was something in particular about Lance, the way his shoulders slumped and his jacket hung loosely on his skinny frame, that made Hunk want to take care of him, to make him feel better. 

 

“Ohhhhh, yes please.” Lance fiddled with his pockets, looking for change. “Coconut milk and double sweet please.” 

 

“And extra large, right?” Hunk wrote down the order on a drink sleeve. “I feel like I’m missing out on something else…”

 

“Premium matcha. And with more matcha than milk.” Lance’s voice was dull, slurred with exhaustion. 

 

“No worries. You got your points card?” Hunk lifted up the little rubber stamp, happy that someone had probably put it back in its place. Coran, most likely, or maybe Keith. He might be moody and a little distant, but that guy did have an eye for details. 

 

“Yep. How much is that?”

 

“We’ll make it five eighty-five.” Hunk stamped the card, marking it with a cute little image of a teacup instead of his initials this time. They dealt with the money and Hunk started making the drink, whisking the matcha powder into water until it was smooth and foamy. Mercifully, there were no customers in line behind Lance, so he was happy to make his tea. Anything to buy a little more time chatting. 

 

“Dude, these matchas have been keeping me alive.” Lance leaned on the counter. “I think I’ll have to come here every day now.”

 

“I’m not complaining.” Hunk bit his lip. Dammit, why so bold and flirty? He never acted like this, what was going on? 

 

“Really? I thought that with my complicated drink, you’d hate me by now!” 

 

“Nah, I don’t mind it. It’s really not that bad.” Hunk lied through his teeth, consulting the drink label to make sure he was getting everything right. Extra matcha, double sweet, coconut milk… 

 

“I’m glad. You know, I used to use coffee to stay alive, stereotypical college guy thing, but it made my skin break out, I had to stop drinking it.” Lance fiddled with the ties of his jacket collar. “Matcha’s way better for you, isn’t it?” 

 

“That’s what I’ve heard.” Hunk smiled, finally managing to make eye contact again. “We’ve got a little poster with some facts about it over there,” -he pointed to a corner of the shop, where there were bags of loose tea for sale- “If you wanna go take a look at it.” 

 

“Oh, cool! Maybe I’ll check it out when my drink’s ready.” 

 

“It’s ready now!” Hunk poured the last of a cup of (heavily sweetened) coconut milk into Lance’s cup, passing it up to the bar. He watched eagerly as Lance took the first few sips, his face lighting up in a way that made Hunk’s heart shiver, but it was a warm, satisfying sort of shiver. He loved it when other people appreciated stuff he’d made, especially when it was tea. And especially when it was Lance. 

 

“Dude, this is gonna save my life!” 

 

“Any time.” Hunk almost had the guts to wink, but stopped himself halfway through. That was way too flirty, he couldn’t do that, not yet! 

 

“Sorry Hunk, you mind taking orders?” Allura swept past him, heading to the sink, wielding a chai-stained blender and several dirty mixing cups. 

 

“Give me a sec, okay?” _Not now, why now?_ His chat with Lance was going so well, they were actually having a real conversation! 

 

“It’s okay dude, I get it.” Lance sipped his latte. “Its not gonna insult you if I put more sugar in here, is it?” 

 

“It’s your drink, do whatever you want.” Hunk smiled, trying not to visibly cringe. There was already so much sweetener in that tea, hadn’t Lance watched him make it? He turned to the cash register, ready to do his best to diminish the lineup that had magically reformed in the lull where he’d been lucky enough to talk to Lance. He tried to keep an eye out for the guy while he was taking orders, but between explaining to a woman that sorry, they didn’t carry any whipped cream and couldn’t put it in her latte, dealing with a man who wanted to smell all nine of their Ceylons before choosing one, and helping the most indecisive group of students on the planet pick out some teas for a friend’s birthday, he lost track of where Lance had wandered off to. 

 

It wasn’t until he and Pidge traded spots at the register, with her taking orders and him working on some chais behind the tea bar, that the sound of Allura giggling made him perk his ears up. He turned to the end of the bar, where the sound was coming from, only to catch a sight that made his blood run cold. 

 

If Lance and Allura had just been talking, that would be no big deal. Heck, even if he was telling her a joke, that sort of thing happened all the time at work, no sweat. But their body language, the way he leaned over the counter, the way she covered her mouth and hid her face when she laughed (so out of character for someone as bold as Allura), it all had ‘flirting’ written on it in big, neon-flashing letters. 

 

No way. 

 

Shit! 

 

Hunk had seen that play out a million times before, all through high school, at after-class parties, at that one grocery store job where he’d had a crush on cashier but she didn’t even remember he existed. He told himself to calm down; he’d only met Lance a handful of times, they needed to get to know each other better, he didn’t have a crush on Lance, did he? And Lance was allowed to talk to other people, he was being ridiculous, illogical! But if it was all so unimportant, then why was his heart sinking, why did his whole body suddenly feel cold? 

 

He lowered his head, trying to focus on tea, focus on his job, focus on anything but Lance and Allura. Shit, shit, and he thought talking to Lance had been going so well! They’d made a connection, hadn’t they? 

 

“Hunk, can you hop on till?” Pidge stood on her tiptoes to tap his shoulder. “Gotta go to the bathroom.” 

 

“Yeah, okay.” He sighed, slipping a pen out of his apron pocket and turning to face the never-ending tide of weekend customers. The smile on his face was one of the fakest he’d ever worn, a cloud of grim, depressing emotions filling his head. _Hang in there_ , he told himself. _Two days off starting tomorrow, time for your weekend, Hunk_. But even the prospect of some rest time wasn’t enough to motivate him, the crowd in the teashop ever-growing as he found himself sinking into gloom. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huzzah, time for more new characters! Sorry there was so little Coran this time around, I'm planning on putting more of him in...
> 
> As always, comments are much appreciated <3 
> 
> Special shoutout to my buddy @steelrunner for making a super-cute little edit based on my fic! I'm so lucky to have you as a friend!!!!!!!! 
> 
> http://captainkaltar.tumblr.com/post/160464089224/mistlethace-a-graphic-for-captainkaltars-fic


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's tea note time! 
> 
> -Irish Breakfast: a super-strong, unflavoured black tea. It's a blend of tea leaves from Kenya and from Assam (a region in Northeastern India). It's very dark and thick, and very caffeinated. A good tea to wake you up in the morning.

“A luxuriously smooth opening, bright musky- no, _muscatel_ mouth feel, notes of grass, pandan leaves, s-springtime oak buds, and- and-“ Hunk burst into laughter, unable to keep reading the menu he was pouring over. “Who even wrote this?” 

 

“Coran did.” Allura snorted, her hand over her mouth and her face flushed. “But I think Dad helped; this has his vocabulary written all over it.” 

 

“I thought your dad was a prof or something.” Hunk raised an eyebrow, shooting a glance out the shop window, just in case a customer had appeared in the few minutes since he’d last checked around. 

 

“My point exactly.” Allura idly straightened her shirt collar, her fingers unable to keep still. “He teaches history up at the college, but I’m pretty sure he minored in English Lit or something, back when he was my age. You think Coran has a weird vocabulary, he’s got nothing on my dad.” 

 

“Pretty cute that they wrote the tea menu together though.” 

 

“Oh, they didn’t just write the menu!” Allura grinned. “When I was little and Coran was working toward opening this shop, the two of them used to order samples from suppliers and have fancy tea tastings.”

 

“Really? That’s adorable!” Hunk had only met Allura’s dad once or twice in passing, but from what he knew about him, he could easily imagine her family sitting in a Victorian-style parlour, the dads sipping from antique china cups and having long-winded discussions about liqueur and bouquet and all the other fancy tea-tasting terminology he’d read about, but never had to use in an actual conversation. 

 

“It was fun, until Coran gave me a big cup of Irish Breakfast right before my bedtime. I was only eleven, the caffeine kept me up all night!” Allura smiled to herself as she started to idly wipe down the counters. They didn’t close for another hour and a half, but the more cleaning they could get done before then, the better. Even though it was Hunk’s first day back after his weekend, he was already eager to go home and cook dinner. 

 

It had been busy when he’d arrived at work earlier that afternoon, but as the other staff gradually signed out and went home, leaving him and Allura alone to close up shop, the flow of customers trickled down until the tea company was empty. Oh well, a little boredom was far better than dealing with crowds and lineups and stress. 

 

He started to sweep the floor when the sound of the front door shutting caught his attention. There was a lone figure prowling around the shop, scanning the shelves lining the wall and pausing to read all the little descriptions and fun facts that Coran surrounded the shop with “to give customers something fun to read!”. 

 

“Hi there!” Allura called out, her retail voice perfect as always. The person’s head swivelled around, looking Hunk dead in the eye, but they didn’t say anything. He couldn’t get a good look at their face from under their heavy hood, but their eyes were as sharp and glinting as polished steel. 

 

He hazarded a smile and a wave, not wanting to repeat Allura’s greeting and seem over-eager. Give the person some space to look around and let them come to him, that was the tactic here. And sure enough, it worked; Hunk looked away for less than a minute to finish sweeping, only to find the figure right at the counter, fixated on their menu. 

 

“Hi there, how can I help you?” He smiled, doing his best to look pleasant. 

 

“I’m just looking.” The voice obviously female, but grating and harsh, setting Hunk’s teeth on edge. Her hood did a great job of covering her face; all Hunk could see of her from under the dark purple fabric were a few wispy strands of white hair, a jawline so sharp he could prep vegetables for a stir fry with it, and those cold, menacing eyes. 

 

“Okay, just let me know if you need anything.” 

 

“I won’t.” The customer closed the menu with a sharp snap, her long, draping coat swishing as she turned away. Caught off guard, Hunk blinked, rooted where he stood. When he got his bearings back, she was gone, the shop windows rattling with the force of the door slamming behind her. 

 

“What was _her_ problem?” Allura trundled past, laden down with a tray of freshly cleaned teacups. 

 

“No clue.” He shrugged. “Man, customers are weird sometimes.” 

 

“Tell me about it.” Allura sighed, starting to put away the cups. “I spent a good half an hour avoiding that one skinny guy today, the one who always orders that beastly complicated matcha potion.” 

 

“Wait, Lance was here?” Hunk’s heart skipped a beat. He’d missed him! Dammit! 

 

“Oh, that’s his name? I keep forgetting it, it gets a little awkward when he tries to talk to me.” 

 

“Aww, that’s rough.” Hunk tried to sound sympathetic, but he felt very different inside. Was it just him, or did Allura sound disinterested in Lance? If she was flirting with him in earnest, then surely she’d at least remember the guy’s name! 

 

“Yeah, he was here on both days of your break too. Comes every morning and orders the exact same thing.” 

 

“Does he hang out a lot as well, or just get tea and leave?”

 

“Well, he doesn’t hang out for an eternity, but he does like to chat an awful lot.” Allura sighed. “He’s not creepy or aggressive or anything, so I don’t want to shut him down hard or be mean. I’d be happy to talk to him in a non-flirty way, you know?”

 

Hunk looked away and focused on wiping down the countertops, hoping Allura wouldn’t notice how hard he was blushing. She wan’t into Lance! She wasn’t flirting! Maybe this was his lucky day! “So he’s not your type?”

 

“Oh, not my gender.” She brushed a few strands of hair out of her face, taking a deep breath. “I like girls, Hunk. I’ve been trying to drop hints and tell him, but I don’t think he’s caught on.” 

 

_Yes! Yes!!!_ Hunk suppressed the urge to drop his broom and do a victory dance, his heart soaring on newfound wings. “So, uh, next time he comes in, you want me to keep talking to him instead, or something?” 

 

“That’s sweet of you.” Allura grinned, leaning against the counter for a moment and pausing her work. “Why though, you’re not trying to protect me, are you?”

 

“No, no, that’s not it, I know you can handle yourself!” Hunk raised up his hands in a ‘don’t shoot’ pose, backing away from his friend. “It’s just- I guess-“ He took a deep breath steeling himself. No turning back now, he had to tell her. “Allura, I think I might have a bit of a crush on Lance.” 

 

It took a moment for Allura to process that. He could practically watch the stages of emotion playing out on her face one by one, confusion turning to surprise turning to uproarious laughter, a straight-up guffaw that he’d never heard from his usually refined and neat co-worker before. 

 

“No way! Ye gods, Hunk, tell me it isn’t true!” 

 

“I wouldn’t lie to you, you know me!”

 

“Lance? Of all people, you fall for _Lance_?” She steadied herself on the edge of the counter, laughing so hard that tears tracked down her cheeks. 

 

“Hey, I can’t help it, don’t make fun of me! He’s really nice, and I’d like to get to know him better, and he’s cute, not that you’d care about that if you’re not into guys…” 

 

“Oh, you’re cute.” Allura returned to her teacups, neatly storing them away in a cupboard next to the tea wall. “What are you going to do about it, tell him?” 

 

“I have no idea, Allura.” Hunk slumped against the counter. “I’ve talked to him a couple times, he might have even gotten a bit flirty with me once, but I’m way too shy to ask him out! I don’t even know if he’s into guys or not!” He sighed. “You’re the first person to hear about this, please don’t let it get out too much. I don’t wanna mess this up, okay?” 

 

“Alright.” Allura had to crouch down to finish putting away all the clean dishes, and Hunk noticed that the counters needed to be properly wiped down. The two of them continued their chores in silence, as closing time drew ever nearer. 

 

It was a few minutes before they spoke to each other again, but it was Allura who broke the silence. “Hunk, I think I know what to do about Lance.” She stood up and leaned on the counter, her face full of mischief. 

 

“Are you plotting something?” He crossed his arms, looking at her with a skeptical raised eyebrow. “I know that look, you’ve got a plan.” 

 

“Oh, have I ever got a plan!” She grinned, leaning in conspiratorially. “So, you know how Lance usually wants to talk to me when he comes into the shop?”

 

“Yeah?” 

 

“And you know how we have to write customer’s names on the drink sleeves?”

 

“Where’s this going?”

 

“Hear me out! Next time he’s in, I’ll make a point of taking his order, and I’ll be extra friendly with him, not flirty, just really, really nice. And I’m going to need your phone number.” 

“Allura, what the hell?” 

 

“I’m going to write it on his drink. He’ll think it’s mine, and probably get all excited. But just wait until he tries actually texting it!” She burst into laughter again, clutching her sides. “I’ll turn him down, _and_ you can talk to him outside work, _and_ he’ll see what a nice guy you are!” 

 

“Allura!!” He could feel himself blushing. 

 

“Admit it Hunk, you’ve got nothing to lose. If he gets mad, I’m happy to take the blame and say it was a harmless prank.” 

 

“Damn, are you sure?” He stared at his co-worker in awe. Man, Allura was full of surprises, even after they’d known each other for over a year! 

 

“Absolutely. I want you to be happy, Hunk. And I want Lance out of my hair. If this works…” She trailed off, looking into the distance. 

 

“If this works…” He echoed her, staring out the window. “Guess we should stop plotting and close up shop, right?” He checked his watch. “Yeah, we’re technically closed now. You going to cash out tonight while I clean?”

 

“Sounds like a plan!” Allura gave him a high-five. Cashing out was an easier, quicker job, and Hunk felt like he owed Allura one. The plan seemed a little shaky, too reliant on people’s emotions, and those were never predictable. Still, if everything did work out in the end, he had so much to gain! 

 

He locked up the shop’s front door and started to mop the floors, his head full of thoughts of Lance. _Not now, don’t get ahead of yourself, not yet!_ He kept trying to reason with himself, but the prospect of talking to Lance one-on-one, maybe even getting a date with the guy, it was all too much for him to handle. The rest of closing passed in a blur, the mental image of Lance smiling and running his fingers through that soft-looking hair following him out the back door and all the way home through the dark, all the way back to his little student-residency apartment. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks for reading! 
> 
> The tea description Hunk reads at the beginning of the chapter is inspired by real tea-tasting notes that I found somewhere at work. Tea experts remind me of wine bores sometimes, using "me, an intellectual" phrases to describe their hot leaf juice XD


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tea note time! 
> 
> Sencha: a classic Japanese green tea. It's very light and fresh-tasting, and is often used as a base for flavoured green blends like the fruity one Hunk drinks in this chapter.

Hunk peered into his section of the fridge, taking a mental inventory of what he could use to make dinner. Leftover rice was always a good place to start; he thanked his past self for cooking extra and saving it. And there were a few vegetables in the bottom drawer that were still fresh enough to eat. He was running low though; he’d have to ration them out until the weekend, when he could make the trek to the local farmer’s market and stock up. He grabbed a carrot, a stalk of celery, and half a red pepper, giving them all a gentle scrub with water before pulling out his trusty cutting board and starting to chop. It didn’t take long before he fell into a familiar, calming rhythm, prepping the vegetables, choosing some spices from his collection of tiny glass jars, and heating up some oil in the old reliable frying pan his parents had given him as a high school grad present. 

He didn’t realize he had company until a hand came out of nowhere and clapped his shoulder, making him jump and nearly drop his blade. “Jeez, what’ve I told you about sneaking up on me?” He whirled around defensively, only to find that it wasn’t his tall, lanky roommate behind him. 

“Whoa big guy, careful there!” His would-be attacker giggled, tossing her bleached-blonde pigtails. 

“Same goes for you!” Hunk folded his arms, staring her down. She was around the same height as him, only far more petite. He could probably take her down in a fight if he needed to, not that he should be getting into fisticuffs with his roommates. “And what are you doing here? Rolo told me you two would be out for the evening.” 

“Our friends bailed on us, they’ve got midterms.” Nyma sighed, her painted lips sticking into a pout. “And clubbing’s no fun with just the two of us. Not that /you’d/ know what it’s like.” 

“And I’d like to keep it that way.” Hunk turned away from her, returning to his half-chopped red pepper. 

“Ugh, you’re no fun.” Nyma slouched up against the doorframe. “Let me guess, staying home tonight?” 

“Yeah, I gotta get to bed early, morning shift tomorrow. Hope you guys find something else fun to do.” Hunk tried to close off the conversation. Nyma and Rolo weren’t the worst people ever, he supposed, he just didn’t like talking to them very much. They always left him feeling kind of off, kind of weird in a way he couldn’t put his finger on. 

“You making enough of that to go around?” Nyma wrinkled her nose, taking in the smell of spices. 

“Er, I wasn’t planning on it.” Hunk turned away awkwardly. “Don’t you have leftovers?” 

“Rolo ate them all. I had to go for the other stuff in the fridge for lunch.” 

“Wait, what?” Hunk whirled around. “What did you eat?” 

“There was this jar of pasta, and some cheese. Why?” 

“Nyma, that was supposed to be my lunch for tomorrow! I labelled it and everything! Can’t you read?” 

“Not your handwriting, I can’t.”

“It just had my name on it! Wasn’t it obvious?”

“Nah, not really. Anyway, I was hungry, I can’t think straight when I’m hungry.” 

“A ‘sorry’ would be nice!” Hunk crossed his arms, trying not to blow up too much. Eating his food was a shitty move, sure, but at least Nyma always paid rent and didn’t invite her loud partying friends over too often. He could do way worse in the roommate department, he couldn’t afford to piss her off too much. 

“Fine, /sorry/!” Nyma stomped out of the room, flicking her ponytails as she left. Hunk sighed as he returned to his cooking. He’d been looking forward to that pasta, it was a new recipe and he was really proud of how it had turned out. Plus, that cheese wasn’t exactly cheap. He’d been saving up his tips from work for days to afford a single chunk. 

He rummaged through his tea cupboard while he waited for his rice to heat through. Something sweet would go nicely with the spice of his dinner, maybe a lychee flavour, or pineapple. He settled for his favourite green blend, a sencha mix dotted with chunks of dried fruit, pomegranate and mango and papaya. Perfect for a stormy night like this. Ever since the night he and Allura had worked closing and she’d set up that plan with him and Lance, it had kept persistently raining, hard and heavy and refusing to go away. 

Hunk sighed as he shut himself in his room, bundling himself in blankets and turning on some music before tucking into his dinner. Anything was better than being surrounded by pressing silence, than being alone with his thoughts right now. He pondered his options for the rest of the evening: he could call home, he could study, he could try and fit in both of those things. He hadn’t talked to his family in a few days, a video call might do them all good. And he should definitely take care of his houseplants; he’d been collecting rainwater for them. 

He was checking his study guide and looking at his workload for the week when suddenly his phone went off. It wasn’t anyone in his contacts, a simple, short little text. His heart skipped a beat as he read it. Allura had been on shift today, could her plan be in action? 

-hi there :D- 

Hunk didn’t recognize the phone number, but there was only one person this could be. His palms were sweating as he picked the phone and typed a response. 

-Hi! Remind me, who is this?- He decided to play it safe, no point getting flirty until he was sure who it was. 

-the names Lance- 

-guy from the tea shop- Yes! Yes, it was him! Hunk was thinking about how to answer when a third text appeared on screen, a pair of finger gun emojis followed by a winking face and several coloured hearts. Damn, he really did have it bad for Allura! And he had absolutely zero game! 

He had to try out a few different messages before sending one. “Hey, cutie” was far too flirty, he wasn’t that bold, but a simple “Hi” didn’t seem flirty enough. Finally he settled on a minimalist:

-Hey, how’s it going?-

-tired- Hunk was about to reply when a second message followed suit. -schools gonna kill me- 

-Aww, that’s rough. You doing homework?-

-yeah- Before Hunk had a chance to respond, a second thought bubble popped onto his screen, filled with those three flashing dots of doom. Fuck, what was Lance going to say? Why was it taking him so long to answer? 

He got up and started to water his plants while waiting, struggling to keep his hands steady. First the basil plant (no text), then the mint (nothing). He watered one spider plant (what was Lance /doing/), then two (had he abandoned his phone?), then three (fuck!!!). 

Hunk sat down heavily at the edge of his bed, idly scrolling through his phone, anything to distract himself. Maybe Lance was just busy, maybe was eating dinner, maybe he was doing homework, maybe he’d just gotten a text from some other hottie and was busy texting them instead, maybe he was making plans to go on a date, maybe he was- no! No, he wasn’t going to think like that, he wasn’t going to let a single boy wreck his night like this! He should get up, he should do something. Do the things he’d been planning on getting done. Finish the reading for his class, prep his lunch for work tomorrow, not just sit here. 

And then his phone buzzed. His heart stopped. 

-hey, don’t take this the wrong way but youre really cute-

Yes! YES! Hunk clutched the phone to his chest, barely registering the sound of his textbook hitting the floor as he flung himself onto the bed. His thumbs flew across the screen, pouring his heart into a response of pure enthusiasm, when realization hit him like a meteor crashing through orbit and down to Earth. 

Lance had fallen for the trap. He thought he was texting Allura, sweet, bright-eyed, fashionable Allura, not her nerdy, stupidly awkward, anxiety-riddled co-worker. He couldn’t keep the lie up, he couldn’t play with someone’s heart like this. Hunk was shaking as he deleted the entire message he’s typed up, several paragraphs of raw emotion gone. 

-Hey Lance, I’m sorry, I’m really sorry- That needed a follow-up text, he had to soften the blow somehow. 

-I’m not actually the cute girl from the tea shop, there’s been a mix-up- That was better than ‘a prank’, which in hindsight, was what it had been. A stupid prank, nothing more. And now Lance would never want to speak to him again, they’d never so much as make eye contact! 

-what do you mean- 

-I also work at the tea shop, we’ve talked a couple of times. But I’m not Allura, I’m Hunk. I’m the guy who made your matcha a couple days ago, when it was raining.- 

No response. Not even the three flashing dots of premonition. Hunk’s palms were sweating, his fingertips leaving, big, messy marks on his phone screen. Fuck, what should he say? Should he apologize to Lance, should he go ahead anyway and try asking him out? Should he just stay in bed, never leave, and never talk to anyone ever again and stay single forever? One more text, he couldn’t leave Lance with that. Maybe Lance was staring at his screen in despair as well. 

-Sorry about the mess up. You’re a really nice guy, I’d still love to hang out with you.- ‘Go on a date with you’ seemed like too much, given the circumstances. Still, that didn’t seem like quite enough of a message, he had to add one more thing. 

-I actually think you’re pretty cute yourself- Hunk held his breath as he pressed the send button. He was going to regret this in the morning, he was going to regret this for the rest of this life. He could feel it in his soul. His music stopped playing as he lay there, staring up at the ceiling, a tear trickling down his cheek.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ye gods, it's been a while! It honestly feels really good to return to this fic after months of not writing anything; I'm no longer working at a tea place, but I still love tea and love Voltron, so I'm opting to continue with Matcha Latte. I still have no many ideas and characters I want to add into this AU! 
> 
> Still making up headcanons for what music Hunk listens to. Send me suggestions in the comments, perhaps?

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and suggestions are always appreciated. I have a rough idea of where I'm taking the plot, but there's room for it to grow and I'd love to hear where you'd like this to go!
> 
> I have no idea how long this AU is going to be, but I have lots of plans for it, so we'll see what happens! More characters and possibly more ships will eventually appear (I know I've tagged a bunch of characters in this work, even though they haven't shown up in the story yet), although the focus is always going to be primarily on Hance.


End file.
